Rushing Nowhere
by ShasyAusAngel
Summary: Tristan returns and is surprised to learn that Rory is not as unhappy to see him as he thought. Both have changed, but have they changed as a result of a good past year or bad?
1. Default Chapter

Hey guys! Ok I just thought id better explain a few things before we start... Firstly im Australian so that means that some of the ways that I write and explain things might be a little different to what people may be used to. I mean when im sitting there watching one of the conversations between Rory and Lorelai it just blows me away! there is no way I would ever be able to manage a witty and fastly flowing conversation the way they seem to so that means that there is no way I could ever be able to write a fanfiction story with conversation like that either.. so im appologising now if my written dialouge is a little different to the shows, but i will try my best to keep the characters in context.  
  
The second thing is that living in Australia means that we are usually about a series behind America in most shows. So my stuff wont be written about the most recent goings on in Gilmore Girl land! As I am a reformed spoiler junkie im trying to stay on the straight and narrow!  
  
Okies thanx for listening! and now on with the show! ;O)  
  
  
  
Rushing Nowhere  
  
  
  
There were people all around, shaking his hand, slapping him on the back, welcoming him back home. It seemed like every single person who happened to be in the hall upon his arrival wanted their turn in acknowledging his return. Rory stretched on weary legs to see over the tall bobbing heads but couldn't manage to catch another glimpse of the fair haired god who had haunted her dreams for so long now, she couldn't remember a day when secretly pinning for him wasn't a part of her daily routine. Glancing to her right it was evident that this commotion had also registered with Paris, as she too waited in hope of finally seeing whether the young man that had stepped into the hallway seconds earlier was real or just a myth.  
  
Rory sighed as the minutes ticked by and there was still no sighting of him, and she felt her adrenaline ebb and return her body back to its normal state of utter exhaustion as she noticed the crowd begin to drift into their own groups and continue down the hallway. Turning back towards her locker, she gave up any hope of seeing him as she realised he must have continued down the hall with the dispersing crowd. After all, she scolded herself, where else would he have preferred to have spent his first day back at Chilton? With his friends or with the girl who had spent most of their time together reminding him of how unworthy of her time he actually was! Frowning at this, Rory slammed her locker door shut and shifted her books, pausing for a moment to close her eyes and take in a deep calming breath. Today had been a very long day. She was really starting to feel the effects of the seemingly endless lessons of the seemingly endless and tiring year it had been at Chilton. Concluding that this, plus the fact that there was a total lack of caffeine left in her system, was the very reason that she felt the sudden onslaught of emotion at seeing him stride through Chiltons doors again, Rory slowly let go her breath and began to plan a quick getaway to the safety of Lukes diner where her mother and Jessie would be waiting. She was distractedly checking the lock on her locker and re arranging her books while planning to make said getaway, when she felt a presence behind her and a set of strong hands come to rest softly on her shoulders. Freezing, Rory felt the ticklish whisper of warm breath on her neck as Tristan leaned in closer and murmmured the words, "Hey Mary"... 


	2. A Smiles Worth a Thousand Words

G'day mates! I hope everyone's in as great a mood as I am! I got reviews! I was so happy I danced around the house all day (much to the annoyance of my brother) hehe!  
  
Anyways to those who did review, you should feel really spesh coz it was you who gave me the confidence to continue :O) Incase it wasn't painfully obvious, this is my first F.F story, infact my first real story of any kind, so im still working the kinks out and getting used to writing... I know the chapter was short but bear with me and I promise it'll get better! Enjoy ;o)  
  
  
  
Rushing Nowhere  
  
Chapter Two - A smile's worth a thousand words.  
  
  
  
Tristan had already begun to retreat form his position leaned in close to her ear even before Rory had turned to face him. Quickly deciding that from the way he had felt her tense under his touch, he should begin preparing himself for the torrent of harsh and hatefilled words he had come to expect from her during the year they'd known each other. He had imagined this first meeting of theirs, played it over and over in his mind throughout the tough year at military school. Imagining her eyes, her smile, everything about her to be just a beautiful and elegant as ever. As always though, he could never bring himself to think about what her reation would be, for, the reaction he wanted, infact longed for, he knew would never actually happen and allowing himself to think about it would only cause additional heartache to go along with the regret he already felt over the way he had left things with her before he left. And so far he imaginative reaction seemed pretty close to reality..  
  
Rory couldnt help but tense underneath his touch and, slowly turning, she struggled to hide the mix of emotions she felt as flashbacks bombarded the back of her mind. Him sitting dejectedly at the piano, the feel of his lips on hers, his trademark smirk that went along with every sexual innuendo he would throw her way, the tingle of his hand brushing her as he read his part of Romeo for the school play, and finally, the sadness and longing in his eyes that accompanied that smile, the smile Rory would remember for the rest of her life as he bade her farewell before he had walked out of her life and left it just that little less bright than it once was.  
  
" Hey Tristan" she quietly spoke as hesitanly she raised her eyes to his, afraid that he would recognise the raw emotion contained in them and exploit it in his usual way, "Welcome back" she added hoping that he wouldnt actually realise how much she meant it and gave him a small smile.  
  
Confusion was the first thing Tristan felt as he met Rorys eyes for the first time in over a year as he was amazed to find no hatred in their depths. Instead, they contained only friendship and warmth, and also somthing unreadable, wich was the source of his confused state. Standing as they were, so close, it was several seconds beore he was able to snap himself out of her trance and take a step back. Rory was still smiling that warm little smile which was confusing the hell out of him as he opened his mouth to speak, when another voice beat him to it. "Well look who's back" Paris began as she bustled though the crowds to stand next to Rory. "just when I thought we were going to have a nice quiet senior year without any trouble, you show up." She quipped, and Tristan was forced to look away from Rory and in the diretion of Paris. "As always, Paris, its a pleasure to be in you company once more" He smoothly replied.  
  
" Welcome back Tristan" Madeline purred as she glided into place beside Paris. Tristan winked at her and sent his most charming smile in Paris' diretion, noting her jaw clench at the action. "Yes welcome back" Paris huffed, sarcasim literally dripping from the words as she pushed past Rory and stalked down the hall, Madeline following close behind.  
  
Rory shifted uneasily as Tristans gaze was once again focused soley on her, wanting desperatley to say somthing, anything, toget him stop staring at her in that confused and awwed way that he was now doing. Thankfully though, she was saved from the effort, with the sudden noise and movement behind them heralding the arrival of more friends of Tristans who were happy to see him returned. She watched as the look she had seen on his face vanished behind a huge grin as Tristan was swallowed by the group and swept down the hallyway with them , leaving her to stand alone. Glancing at the group as they walked further and further away Rory felt the sudden urge to race after Tristan and throw her arms around him, wanting to remain in the moment they had shared forever. Watching dejectedly as Tristan smiled and laughed at somthing someone next to him had said, Rory began to feel the coldness creep over her once more when she noticed Tristan turn and looked back to where she remained. Searching for and meeting his ice blue emotion chagarged gaze she saw him smile, a one hundred percent true Tristan smile. A window into his soul she thought as Tristan turned and was once again lost in the crowd. 


End file.
